Trudeau, other leaders on National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack

PRIME Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday issued the following statement on the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia:
“On January 29, 2017, a gunman opened fire at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec in Sainte-Foy. Six Canadians died and 19 others were wounded. Today, we remember the victims of this senseless act of hate.

“Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane, and Aboubaker Thabti were proud Muslims, Quebeckers, and Canadians. They were murdered because of their faith. Our thoughts are with the communities of Quebec City, as well as the brave first responders who risked their lives to help others in the wake of this tragedy. We stand in solidarity with Muslim communities in Canada and around the world to fight the hate that led to this attack. We are also not immune to its resurgence, especially as we see the rise in Islamophobia and hate across our communities.

“We’re taking action. We appointed Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, to support our efforts to combat Islamophobia. We have renewed Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy to ensure diverse voices shape federal policies, programs, and services. We invested in the Canada Community Security Program to increase security at places of worship and community centres.

“To protect communities, we passed the toughest gun control measures in over 40 years. With the measures announced last month, we’ve now banned more than 2,400 makes and models of assault-style firearms and their variants. We expanded background checks and prohibited the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns in Canada. We also introduced ‘red flag’ laws, which are already in force, allowing anyone to apply to the court to remove firearms from individuals who may pose a risk to themselves or others.

“Today, we remember those whose lives were tragically taken at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec and we reaffirm our commitment to standing with Muslim communities in Canada in the face of racism, hate, and discrimination. Together, we will continue to build a safe, welcoming, and prosperous country for everyone.”

 

David Eby

PREMIER David Eby said:

“On January 29, 2017, in a terrible act of anti-Muslim hatred, the lives of six men were taken at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City.

“Today, we remember them: Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzedine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti. We mourn with the families and friends who were left behind, and we stand with those who were injured in this heinous attack.

“This hateful act of terrorism remains as shocking today as it was that evening eight years ago.

“Our government stands against hate in all its forms. There is no place for Islamophobia in British Columbia.

“Building a more welcoming, inclusive province is a priority for our government. We created the Anti-Hate Community Support Fund to help protect community organizations and places of worship from hate-motivated crimes, and passed the Anti-Racism Act to address racism within government programs and services. We also launched a racist incident helpline to support people who have experienced or witnessed an act of hate.

“Our diversity is our strength in British Columbia. Today and every day, we stand with the Muslim community.”

 

Pierre Poilievre
Photo: X

CONSERVATIVE Leader Pierre Poilievre said:

“Today, Canadians of all faiths and backgrounds pause to mourn the victims of a heinous terrorist attack.

“On what should have been a peaceful evening in the quiet suburb of Ste-Foy, six Canadian Muslims were murdered in the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec by a terrorist gunman. The attack injured many more and shocked Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

“It was a moment of horrific and agonizing loss, but also one that revealed the incredible courage of community members like Azzeddine Soufiane, who was posthumously awarded the Star of Courage for his brave attempt to tackle the shooter.

“Common Sense Conservatives believe that religious freedom is at the core of who we are as a nation. First and foremost, that includes the right to pray in peace and security. The crime we remember today was an attack not just on an innocent community, but on a sacred principle at the heart of the Canadian promise.

“As we reflect on this tragedy, Conservatives are committed to taking concrete steps to protect worshippers and places of worship. Together, we can create a country where our incredible Muslim community, along with Canadians of all faiths, can gather in safety and freedom.”

 

Jagmeet Singh
Official photo

FEDERAL NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said:

“Eight years ago, a gunman entered the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City and murdered six men, and injured many more. This horrific night changed our country and devastated lives, communities, and families.

“This act of vile hate robbed six men of their futures — futures filled with dreams, aspirations and untold contributions to country and community. It also robbed people of their fathers, their partners and beloved family members. For the last eight years, they’ve been reeling from this painful loss. We say to these families, we stand with you. We never stopped thinking of you. We recommit to doing everything in our power to stomp out the Islamophobic hate that wreaked this devastation on your lives.

“Over the last year, Canada has seen a rise in Islamophobia including hate-motivated incidents and hate crimes against Muslims. Sitting idly by in the face of this rising hate isn’t an option. We each have a responsibility to act and to make it unequivocal, and governments have a specific responsibility to tackle Islamophobia. There should be no tolerance for violence or hate.

“New Democrats again send our condolences to the families and to Muslim communities in Québec City and across the country. In sorrow, may you find comfort in each other, and the solidarity being expressed by Canadians.”

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